Melissa Clark's "Stupendous" Hummus

I don't know what I did wrong with other hummus attempts but they all tasted like plaster, or as how I imagine plaster would taste.

Enter, Melissa Clark.  She made a good case against using canned chickpeas and gave directions for cooking the dried variety in heavily salted water with several garlic cloves.  Then she goes on to gently suggest that peeling each individual pea might bring the hummus to yet another level of "stupendous".  Really, Melissa?  Each individual pea?  A tedious undertaking for sure but then I realized that this is a great way to busy the hands while, say, quizzing your 7 year old on his spelling words.  Surely more economical than going to websites that just make me want to spend money I do not have.  

Super Bowl Apps

I'm not a huge football fan. I am from Chicago so I root for the Bears and after this past season, can you blame me for being a little sour on football? That said, I do have very fond memories of the '86 Super Bowl and from what I remember, it truly was a fantastical time leading up to and more importantly winning the big game. It is amazing how the Super Bowl transforms a city, especially a city like Chicago in the depths of winter, into a magical place where everyone is in a good mood, people are saying "Hi!" to strangers on the street and there is an air of optimism in the air that permeates everything. Unfortunately, Chicago hasn't seen that kind of happiness in February for a very long time. What to do with the winter blues without a winning team? Eat, drink and be merry!

So, if you are going to a Super Bowl party or hosting, make these appetizers!! I promise your friends will love you and they are about as easy as appetizers come short of going to the store and purchasing pre-made. Bonus is that they go so very well with beer. I have a particular weakness for Black & Tan and I highly recommend it with these. They are salty, buttery and have some serious depth of flavor that only a dark beer can stand up to. Ok, I would not exactly turn down a glass of champagne with these buttery salty delights but seriously, it's the super bowl, that would just be silly. Enjoy!

Recipes adapted from Fine Cooking

Recipe #1

Warm Cheese & Mushroom Toasts

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
Kosher salt
10 oz. mixed mushrooms (like shiitake, cremini, and oyster), trimmed and thinly sliced
Sixteen 1/2-inch slices baguette, cut on a sharp diagonal so they're about 3 inches long
1-1/2 cups grated Gruyère (about 4 oz.)

Melt the butter in a large heavy-duty skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the mushrooms and another 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Set an oven rack about 8 inches away from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Arrange the bread slices on a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating the pan as needed for even toasting. Flip the bread, mound a heaping tablespoon of the mushrooms on each piece, and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 4 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe #2

Ham, Gruyère & Honey-Mustard Palmiers

1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 Tbs. honey Dijon mustard
3 oz. (about 1 cup ) shredded Gruyère
1/4 cup (about 1 oz.) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
4 oz. very thinly sliced baked ham

Heat the over to 425°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry to a 10x14-inch rectangle. Using the back of a spoon, spread the pastry evenly with the mustard. Sprinkle on the Gruyère and Parmigiano in an even layer.

Arrange the ham in a single, even layer, tearing or cutting pieces to fit. Lay a piece of parchment or waxed paper on top and gently roll and press with the rolling pin to compress the layers. Gently peel off the paper without disturbing the ham.

Cut the rectangle in half widthwise to make two 10x7-inch bands. Gently roll one long edge of a band into the center and then roll the opposite edge in so the two rolls meet in the ­middle and resemble a double scroll. Press lightly to stick the two rolls together. Repeat with the second band. (The rolls can be assembled to this point and held in the refrigerator for several hours.)

With a very sharp knife, slice each band into about 22 pieces, just under 1/2-inch each. Arrange the palmiers on two parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheets and bake until deep golden brown and no longer doughy in the center (break one open to be sure), 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to burn the bottoms. Let cool on a rack and serve just slightly warm or within an hour if possible.

Recipe #3

Creamy White Bean and Herb Dip

2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
1 Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram or oregano

Crudités, crusty sourdough bread, or crackers, for serving

Put the beans, cream cheese, onion, lemon juice, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer the spread to a large bowl and fold in 2 Tbs. of the chives and the marjoram. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the spread to a serving bowl, garnish with the remaining 1 Tbs. chives, and serve with crudités, bread, or crackers.

Mom's Rockin' Guacamole

As my friends and family know, I have a tendency to talk down my Mom's cooking. I love my Mom to pieces but she would take her garden any day of the week over cooking. The beauty of her gardening obsession and her blasé attitude toward cooking is that she hides her disinterest so very well. Over the years, I have seen her host numerous dinner parties, family gatherings, impromptu visits from friends and of course, the dinner she made for my Dad, my Brother and me on a nightly basis. Throughout it all, I never saw her call a caterer, call in extra help, or buy a pre-made meal; she always did it all herself and it was always wonderful. So yes, she can cook but make no mistake, her heart is in her fabulous garden.

So, all of that said, my Mom has been spending her winters in Mexico for a few years now and she has amassed a treasure trove of Mexican friends who have guided her in making this guacamole; add a little of this, take out that, etc. So she has been coached and the result is some serious rockin' guac. Enjoy!

Rockin' Guacamole courtesy of my Rockin' Mom, Linda Jones.

Ingredients:

3 ripe Haas avocados
2 plum tomatoes, seeds and juice removed, diced
1/3 white onion diced
1 small lime
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon chile rellanos, seeds removed, chopped - to taste
1/2 teaspoon sauce/juice from chile rellanos - to taste

Method:

Dice the avocados and place in a large bowl. Squeeze the lime juice into the avocados and toss lightly. Add in the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, chile rellanos and juice. Toss all together and taste for seasoning. Pile mixture high on tortilla chips and serve immediately.